THE Tartan Army scored an amazing victory in Georgia - before a ball was even kicked.

Citizens of this impoverished country have taken the travelling fans to their hearts for lavishing disabled children with clothes, toys and cash.

Locals turned out at Tbilisi Airport yesterday morning to welcome around 300 Scots with a medley of traditional folk songs.

And by the time the day was through, Georgian TV was broadcasting special news programmes about the generous visitors from afar.

The Tartan Army's impact came as the national team prepared for a match which could see us make it to the Euro 2008 finals.

We've already beaten France and Ukraine to top the qualifying group.

If we beat Georgia tonight and France draw with Lithuania, we've qualified. France could only end up with the same points as Scotland - and our two wins against the World Cup finalists mean we go through.

If both France and Scotland win tonight, we need just a draw in our final game - at home to World Cup winners Italy next month.

Yesterday, though, the focus was on Georgia - and the Tartan Army made an immediate impact in the country.

Denis Keefe, Britain's ambassador to Georgia, joined Scotland fans at a gift-delivery event for First Step, a day centre for mentally and physically disabled youngsters.

The 49-year-old diplomat said: "I think this is fantastic. These guys might be here for a football match but they are really helping to put Scotland on the map.

"Everything I had previously heard about the Tartan Army is true. They are brilliant ambassadors for their country."

Several dozen travelling supporters got in some early practice at First Step, on the outskirts of Tbilisi.

They played Scotland the Brave on their pipes and encouraged the kids to beat the drum for their country.

Musician Craig Shepherd, 36, from Edinburgh, said: "It's been a privilege to come here and share a little bit of Scotland with the kids."

The Scots watched a five-a-side football match involving the squealing youngsters and later attended a barbecue at the centre with Ambassador Keefe.

A hospital linked to the centre will receive baby care equipment costing £15,000 thanks to the generosity of the Scots.

Mum Nana Zakareishvili explained that until her 17-year-old son Mishiko was 14, he had nowhere to go during the day.

Nana, 35, said: "When First Step opened, he was able to come to school for the first time. I am very satisfied because he is learning skills and is happy to go to school every morning.

"It is very kind of your Scottish supporters to bring gifts to him and his friends today. We all know this is the country of the kilt."

Tartan Army footsoldiers appear to have covered every inch of Europe - and a little bit of Asia - in their determination to be at our penultimate Group B match.

Chris Hutchison, from Tradeston, Glasgow, flew with his two mates to London, then Istanbul and on to Tbilisi - and will go back the same way after the game.

Chris, 27, said: "To be honest, we wanted to see Istanbul anyway. Crossing the Bosphorus from Asia to Europe was a brilliant experience."

The same cannot be said of the traffic in Tbilisi. In scenes that resemble the car chases from The Bourne Identity, pedestrians run for their lives from Tbilisi's Ladas and BMWs.

Fans also learned an expensive lesson at the hands of the Georgia FA.

While Scotland fans were forced to fork out £20 for a ticket to tonight's game, others could buy three grand stand seats at the Dinamo stadium for a total of £9 yesterday afternoon.

But if we get a result at the end of the night, most Scots will agree it's a price worth paying.

Many are heaping cash on goal hero James McFadden to blast in another tonight.

Bookmakers William Hill revealed that 95 per cent of first scorer betting for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier has been on the striker at odds of 11-2.

Spokesman Rupert Adams said: "Anything to do with McFadden is jumped on at the moment and we can only hope one of his team-mates hits the net first."